A house that is more than just a home sits enthroned on a beautiful hillside with far-reaching views. The client calls his converted home "My Castle", which combines tradition and modernity as well as protection and openness. The planners of this house transformation, Fachwerk4 | Architekten BDA, took the qualities of the existing building, which had already been extensively modernized in the 1990s, and developed them further for the 21st century. The new exterior is characterized by a strong contrast between light and dark. The compact cubature was carefully reshaped and the solid base storey was given a dark metal façade, which makes it visually recede into the background. This makes the white plastered storeys above appear all the lighter. This clear structure gives the building its castle-like presence - powerful and elegant at the same time.

From the outset, the client made it clear that this house was to be a place where the finer things in life are celebrated. As a passionate art collector, he wanted rooms that would also do justice to his treasures. Inside, the architects focused on openness and targeted lines of sight. As soon as you enter, the room opens up to the east and west, capturing light and creating a sense of space. Despite the originally low room height, it was possible to gain valuable centimetres through ingenious interventions (demolition of old suspended ceilings and use of special screed). At the same time, the architects relied on the psychology of perception to optimize the sense of space: Large-format, black matt porcelain stoneware tiles on the floor reinforce the perceived room height through their contrast to the smooth white walls - a clever response to the originally low ceiling heights of the existing building. The lighting concept also intervenes in the perception: Indirect light coves visually draw the ceilings upwards, while targeted spotlights and wide-area lighting direct the eye. In addition, variably controllable lighting moods allow atmospheres between intimacy and festivity to be created depending on the time of day and occasion.

Purposefully used wooden elements, such as in the built-in furniture and wall cladding, bring warm accents to the minimalist ensemble. Colors deliberately recede into the background; individual design classics underline the new clarity and at the same time set well-considered accents. A concealed air conditioning and sound system ensures maximum comfort without disturbing the aesthetic reduction. The living areas, the individually designed bedroom suites with their own wellness bathrooms and the sheltered terrace with sauna, pool and whirlpool form a harmonious unit - a private retreat in the middle of the residential area. A modern castle.

www.fachwerk4.de

Photos:
Christian Eblenkamp
www.christian-eblenkamp.de

(Published in CUBE Frankfurt 02|25)